


If You Meant Something to Someone...

by oddgit



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: F/M, Harold meets him, Harold misses NYC, John Dies, John's a hero, Kinda happy?, Tears, but has a son with Iris, kinda sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-18
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2019-03-20 16:11:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13721298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oddgit/pseuds/oddgit
Summary: He looked around, the bustling city seeming to pass him by in a blur. He couldn’t help but look around and see the hundreds of memories that he’d had here. Jogging through Battery Park, the late-night dinners with Nathan, getting tea with John, chasing a number through the alleyways of Brooklyn, walking Bear with John…





	If You Meant Something to Someone...

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to M_E_Lover for the beta!

Harold got out of the car into the humid New York City air. He took a deep breath, somehow missing the smells only his city could provide.

He hadn’t been back since…

Since John died.

He looked around, the bustling city seeming to pass him by in a blur. He couldn’t help but look around and see the hundreds of memories that he’d had here. Jogging through Battery Park, the late-night dinners with Nathan, getting tea with John, chasing a number through the alleyways of Brooklyn, walking Bear with John…

Grace got out and walked over to stand next to him, bringing him out of his daze, “You know, I’ve kind of missed this place…” She put her arm through his and they started to walk into the park.

He started to feel warm suddenly and Grace could feel him start to tremble. She stopped their walk and looked at him, “Harold… don’t be nervous…”

He gave her a fleeting smile, “I know… I’m sorry…” He sighed, and they continued their walk. He had just realized, being back in New York, he was… _homesick_. But it just didn’t feel right. Because what made New York feel like home was Nathan… and John… and they were gone now, never to return.

He and Grace had just driven over the Queens Bridge on their way into Manhattan when he broke down. Once he had calmed down a bit, he was able to tell Grace why. She had frowned and brought him into a hug, running a comforting hand up and down his back.

He vaguely understood that even though he thought the wounds in his heart had healed, they were getting torn back open. Every single smell, scene, and sight reminded him of the tremendous losses he’d had here in his life.

He felt Grace nudge him, “Harold… I think that’s her. You said by the fountain and she has red hair, right?”

Harold’s eyes snapped to where Grace was looking, and he inhaled a sharp, shaky breath. She was right. She was sitting on the fountain in jeans and a t-shirt. Harold had never actually seen her in person, but he knew it was her.

“Sweetheart… are you okay?” Grace put her hand on his back and looked at him, concerned.

He took a deep breath, “Yes… I’m fine. Let’s go, shall we?” Harold put a smile on his face and walked over to the fountain with his wife.

“Hello…” Harold smiled.

The woman looked up and pushed the hair back from her eyes, “Harold?”

“Yes.” He swallowed, suddenly feeling sick to his stomach. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all, he thought.

“It’s very nice to meet you…” She smiled and offered her hand.

Harold accepted it graciously, smiling in return. As he was about to say something, a young boy ran up to the three of them. “Mom, can I go over and pet those dogs?” He looked to be about 7 or 8 years old. He had dark black hair and piercing blue eyes.

Harold had the wind knocked out of him. Standing in front of him was a mini replica of… John. He gasped, and tears came to his eyes. He almost staggered back… he was thankful that Grace had her arm around his back and helped keep him upright.

Iris knelt down and motioned to Harold, “Johnny, this is Harold. He was a friend of your daddy’s…”

Harold felt sick. He knew why he was coming here. Knew what he was going to see and who he was going to meet… but he still couldn’t wrap his mind around it. Couldn’t believe that John’s son was standing right in front of him.

“Hi…” was all the boy said, a bashful grin coming to his face.

Harold swallowed, “Hello, John…” He hadn’t said the name aloud for 8 years, and it almost took his breath away when it rolled off his tongue.

Iris, noticing Harold’s daze, spoke up, “Johnny, we’re going to go over and get us all some ice cream, you stay here with Harold, okay?” She motioned to the older man and Harold’s brow rose. “We’ll be right back.” Iris smiled at Harold and she and Grace walked over to the ice cream cart sitting a way away from the fountain.

Harold let out a deep puff of air and cleared his throat, “Would you like to sit down?” Harold smiled and motioned to the edge of the fountain.

The young boy nodded and plopped down on the stone edge. Harold did the same, stretching his legs as he did so. They sat there in silence for a few moments until Harold spoke up,

“I want you to know how proud your dad would have been of you…” Harold had seen the report cards and all the sporting awards. The boy was already over 4 ft tall and was dominating his little league team and his youth basketball league.

“Mommy said my dad was brave…”

Harold looked at him and smiled, “Yes… he was.” He swallowed hard and tried to fight back the tears forming in the corner of his eyes. “Your dad was a true hero. There are a lot of people who are alive today because of him… including me.” He smiled at the boy.

The black-haired boy smiled back and shoved his hands in his pockets.

Harold put his hand on the boy’s shoulder, “Even though he’s gone… I’m certain that he’s here with you all the time in spirit, watching over you…” Harold smiled, a single tear breaking through his eyelashes, “He was very good at that…”

John smiled, “Okay…”

Just then the two women made their way back over with ice cream, “Did you two have a good talk?” Iris asked, sitting down next to her son.

“Yeah. Harold said that dad was a hero,” the younger boy said, taking his ice cream. “And that he saved people.” He licked the chocolate cone.

Harold had to grin. He could see so much of John in his son as he enjoyed the sweet treat.

“See? I told you,” Iris teased the boy.

“I loved your father, Johnny…” Harold swallowed the lump in his throat and looked at Grace tenderly. “I have him to thank for reuniting me with this beautiful woman here by my side.”

Johnny looked at Grace, “Did he save your life too?” The young man had ice cream dripping down his chin now and Grace chuckled at him and smiled warmly.

Grace took Harold’s hand in hers and brought it up to her heart as she turned a loving gaze on her husband and replied, “He brought Harold back to me, Johnny,” she began. “So yes, in a way he did.”

Johnny looked at the two of his new friends, “Good. That makes me proud,” he announced and finished his cone.

The adults all looked at each other and felt a mutual happiness shared between them. Little Johnny was going to be raised to hear all about the people his brave daddy helped.

Harold would make sure of it.

 

 

 


End file.
